By Morgen Makombo Sikwila
The Church’s highest calling and purpose for living is to fulfill the spiritual, eternal, invisible kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The Church’s goal is to exalt Christ and to preach, teach, and model the message of redemption, over and above anything else. But how can the “Church be the Church” when it comes to the area of politics?
The Church’s first priority is to pray for the government. 1st Timothy 2:1 says, “I urge you, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, thanksgiving be made for everyone, for kings and those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good and pleases our God and Savior who wants all men to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
Christians don’t pray so the economy gets better or so that our lives are happier or easier. They pray, first and foremost, for those in authority so that there would be peace in the land so the gospel could go forth and people could see the reality of Christ in what they say and how they live.
Christians tend to often be the most negative, critical people who blog, and email, and send little things to one another that you open with these little ads toward one another on both directions.
But I wonder what would happen if they pray and care about the souls of those people, and asked ourselves, first and foremost, if there’s a kingdom of heaven that’s spiritual and eternal and allegiance is first to Christ, maybe that ought to be priority first and foremost.
The Church’s second priority is to preach and teach the truth of God’s Word. This is so that God’s people would be informed and have a biblical worldview shaped by His values.
God’s not looking for a Democratic vote or a ZANU PF vote. In fact, I have news for you! God is neither a ZANU PF or an opposition member. And when He wants you to vote, He’s not looking for you to say, “Well this is my ZANU PF or my opposition party.” He’s looking for a kingdom vote.
God is looking for the children of God who understand the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom on earth will always be in conflict.
God wants us to understand that the government doesn’t have the power to change the world but only restrain evil. Only Christians have the power, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to make a difference.
The Church’s third priority is to model truth, justice, and righteousness.
The world changed because of Acts 2:40-47. The people in the early Church lived in a corrupt culture, with a corrupt government, where there was tremendous injustice and immorality. Yet they came together, and they loved each other and they followed Jesus. They made sacrifices and they met the deepest needs in the community. We should be doing the same.
As individuals, we should be helping runaway teens, helping to stop sex trafficking, stop use of drugs, helping people that are HIV positive, regardless of how they got it. Christians should be feeding the poor and living in community. When Christians live like Christians, we’re the most winsome, powerful group on the face of the earth.
So, let’s let the Church be the Church. Let Christians radically live out and model – not subservient agendas around smaller issues – but the big agenda of Christ and Him crucified.
The active involvement by Christians and local churches in Zimbabwean politics is being advocated by many Christian leaders. This exhortation rarely addresses the question of whether it is best for Christians to become involved in the political process. It is normally assumed that political activism is important for Christians and the more active the better.
We believe that political activism is an issue of wisdom and not an issue of morality. In other words, it is not morally wrong to participate in the political process and it is not morally wrong to completely refrain from the political process. As a wisdom issue, there are factors that must be considered as we attempt to please the Lord and plan for effective ministry. These factors lead us to conclude it is unwise for churches to participate actively in the political process. We should strive to abide by Romans 12:18 – “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”
Reasons why the church should not be involved in politics is because the Bible does not direct us toward political activism (2 Corinthians 10:3-4).
The most important reason why Christians should not be involved in political activism is due to their mission. Christians have been called to reach the world with the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. Christians have not been called to moralize our society. The fact that the Bible does not encourage us to attempt to use means to bring governmental change should lead us to conclude that political activism must not be very important to God.
Jesus Christ did not seek to bring change in the political realm.
Jesus did not join with the Zealots, who were Israelites seeking to bring better government to the Jews. He did not suggest his disciples seek positions in public office. He did not speak out against the oppressive Roman government. He did not attempt to lead a movement to restore Israel as a nation for God. He did not organize a National Day of Prayer. Christ did call sinners to repentance, which made them citizens of heaven.
The pattern of the apostles’ ministry to the world was to preach the gospel, not reform the government. Not only does the Bible not encourage us to pursue political means for governmental change, the followers of Jesus did not attempt to reform the government. This pattern of ministry should lead Christians to function in the same way, making the preaching of the gospel the vehicle for societal improvement.
Biblical and political issues become confused together. While some biblical issues should be engaged in the political realm, far too often issues that are not clearly righteous are advocated with the same aggressiveness as those that are directly biblical. Political reformation subtly substitutes for spiritual transformation.
As gains are made in the political realm there can be a sense of accomplishment. Yet no government can change the heart of man. Only God can transform spiritual life and this spiritual transformation results in service to others. The real answer to national decay is not found in our laws but in our hearts. No law can save a person and no law can save a people either.
The purity of the Christian message is lost through political cooperation. The axiom that “politics makes strange bedfellows” is never more true than when religious people join together for common political purposes. It is extremely tempting to refrain from the clear proclamation of the gospel when you are in a partnership with those who are opposed to Christ. Also, as cooperation occurs it is easy for even those in the church to assume that those who join with Christians to share similar social concerns are also joined theologically. The political cooperation can make it extremely difficult to maintain a theological conviction that a comrade is in error and even bound for destruction.
Political viewpoints can hinder Christian ministry to those who disagree.
Christians are to follow Paul’s example (1 Corinthians 11:1) by becoming all things to all men so that we might by all means save some (1 Corinthians 9:19-23). In other words, Christians should become like those to whom they are ministering the gospel. To advocate a particular political party or campaign for a particular issue will can an unnecessary division with those who need Christ as their Lord and Savior. When Christians join with political parties or any other group, we they will find they are unable to speak the Word of God to every group. The consequence of political activism is that the very ministry that God has called Christians to will be negatively affected.
Political gains are only on the surface and can be very short-lived.
Political gains are expected when there is a clear majority of support. But we know that as Christians will always be the few, not the many (Matthew 7:13-14). The many often resent attempts to moralize them and may react against those they see as pressuring them. This can lead to overturning certain political gains with a vengeance. In the end the moral agenda may be better served by not attempting to use political means.
Addressing arguments for Christian political activism
“To not be involved in the political process leaves our government in the hands of non-Christians.”
As a minority group (Matthew 7:12-13) we are and always will be limited in our influence. The apostles were notably uninvolved with seeking to change the governmental structure. Also, church history teaches that government in the hands of the church is always bad for the church.
“If we do not participate in politics our freedoms will be taken away from us.”
In principle, our freedoms can only be limited, not eliminated (Proverbs 21:1; Matthew 16:18). In practice, political activism will make the limiting of our freedom more likely as we become more threatening to the political world. In potential, church history teaches that the limiting of freedom may be a blessing for the church.
In Zimbabwe we have an opportunity and responsibility as citizens to participate in our government since Christians are called by God to be salt to the earth and light to the world.” (Matthew 5:13-16)
While it is true that Christians have an opportunity as citizens to participate in government, it is not true that they have a responsibility to participate in government. Our government gives us the freedom to not participate if we choose and God does not demand that we participate. We must exercise wise judgment in deciding how or whether to participate in our government. Furthermore, Matthew 5:13-16 teaches that we are salt and light and that we should let our good deeds shine before men, not our political muscle.
Some of the more cautious advocates of Christian political activism will see the danger of its unintended consequences for the church and propose that political activism needs to take place but must be outside the church.
There is one critical difficulty with this distinction between the organized church and individual Christians; Christians are the church. Church is not a building. Biblically defined, church is the believers in Christ (Colossians 1:24). Without Christians, there is no church and the church is wherever the Christians are. As followers of Christ, we represent Christ every hour of every day.
Christians cannot rightfully participate in the political process without being identified with Christ. Therefore, participation reflects on Christ, who is the head of the church (Ephesians 5:22). Each of the above considerations against political activism are just as true for individual Christians as they are for the church.
Living in such political times demands us to walk wisely when it comes to the role politics play in the church. Biblical wisdom reminds us that politics and politicians make for poor saviors and rarely accomplish what we desire. To that end you will not see the Christian Church campaigning, advancing or endorsing particular political parties or candidates whether in voice or in print. These activities will keep Christians from giving time and attention to God and His Word.
This does not mean, however, that we will not advance and even campaign against areas that directly impact the ministry and mission of the church or where the Bible clearly speaks about. ie. protection of human life, biblical sexuality, and religious freedom). Church Elders will determine when and where the church might speak and stand when it comes to particular issues as a way to serve as salt and light to the world.
Every citizen is encouraged in exercising their opportunity to vote because voting is a private way to seek to help society and does not distract from Christian calling as believers in Christ. Nevertheless, we do have little hope that the elections bring about any real and lasting change to people of our nation, for that can only happen through people submitting and yielding to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
It is in the ministry of the gospel that should be Christians greatest focus and are obligated to participate in the spread of the pure message of the good news of Christ. It is wise for churches to refrain from partisan politics in order to further the ministry of the gospel that they have been specifically called to advance. The unintended consequences of political activism are too great to bear. This is why the apostles chose not to seek to bring change to the Roman government and Christians ought to follow their example.
Morgen Makombo Sikwila
MSc Peace and Governance
Bsc Counselling
Diploma in Environmental Health
Certificate in Marketing Management
Phone Number: 0772823282: email: morgensikwilam@gmail.com
